Tow line and method of making same



Aug. 29, 1933. E, w, JASPER TOW LINE AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Filed April 17, 1933 Patented Aug. 29, 1933 UNITED STATES TOW LINE AND METHOD OF MAKING SAME Emett W. Jasper, Daytona Beach, Fla.

Application April 17, 1933. Serial No. 666,616

10 Claims.

This invention is a novel improvement in towlines, tow-ropes, or the like, and method of making same, the tow-line being particularly adapted to use in towing automobiles or other road vehicles, but may also be used for towing barges, ships, or other water craft, also for many other purposes where a quickly attachable and detachable connection is desired.

The principal object of the invention is to pro 'vide a tow-line or tow-rope embodying the features of extreme simplicity and maximum strength, said tow-line having eyes formed therein adjacent its ends through which knots or heads on the ends of the line are adapted to be passed, the eyes being disposed substantially on the longitudinal axis of the tow-line, whereby as the pull or strain on the tow-line is increased, the eyes will be closed tighter. and the knots will become locked in the eyes, thereby preventing the knots from becoming disengaged from the eyes until the pull or strain has been relieved. Further objects are to provide a tow-line free from extraneous mechanical contrivances which have to be manipulated to secure the line to the object, also to provide a tow-line which can be secured without having to tie knots which will hold and which can be untied after use, an operation which few people can do; also to provide a tow-line so simple that even a child can attach and detach same without the slightest difiiculty.

Another further object of the invention is to provide a novel method of making tow-lines and the like whereby an eye is formed substantially on the axis of the tow-line by splicing or secur- 35. ing together overlapping ends of sections of the line, said eye being adapted to receive a knot or head on the end of the line, whereby as the strain or pull on the line is increased the knot will be wedged tighter in the eye to prevent the knot from slipping through the eye.

I will explain the invention with reference to the accompanying drawing which illustrates one practical embodiment thereof to enable others to adopt and use the same; and will summarize in the claims the novel features for which protection is desired.

In said drawing:-

Fig. 1 is a view of one form of tow-line embodying my invention.

0 Fig. 2 illustrates my method of forming the eyes in the tow-line.

My novel tow-line is preferably made of rope or cable, or other twisted or woven flexible strands, and as shown comprises a middle section 1 of desired or convenient length, and end sections 2 disposed parallel with and slightly overlapping the ends of middle section 1 as shown in Fig. 2. Each end la of middle section 1 is spliced into the adjacent opened portion 2a of section 2, and the end 2?) of section 2 are spliced into the adjacent opened portion 1b of middle section 1, thereby forming eyes 3 between the spliced portions, the axes of eyes 3 being disposed substantially on the longitudinal axis of the tow-line, whereby a pull on the tow-line will stretch both members 3a and 3b of the eye 3 simultaneously to draw the members together and close the eye, while the members 3a, 319 may be readily separated to open the eye when the tow-line is slaokened. The ends of the splices 7 may be wrapped with a suitable bind 5, if desired. At the end of each end section 2 is formed a knot 4, preferably a wall-knot of substantial size, which will pass through the eye 3 when the tow-line is slackened.

While I prefer to make the tow-line of rope, or flexible cable or other twisted or woven strands of fibre or wire, the same may be of other flexible material and the overlapping ends secured together in other ways than by splicing; and 30 suitable heads may be formed thereon instead of knots 4; and my tow-line can be readily adapted for many uses other than for towing automobiles or water craft. H

In use, the ends of the tow-line may be passed 35 around the front axle of the towed vehicle and the rear axle of the towing vehicle, and the knots or heads 4 at each end entered into their respective eyes 3, an operation so simple that even M a child can readily perform same as it does not require anyknots to be tied in the rope, nor does it require any extraneous mechanical fastenings to be manipulated. When the vehicle is being towed, as thestrain on the tow-line is increased I, the tighter will the members 3a, 3b of eyes 3 be stretched and drawn together to squeeze the knotted ends 4 in the eyes and will thus prevent the knots 4 from becoming disengaged from, or pulling through, the eyes.

I claim:

1. A tow-line or the like having an integral eye adjacent its end, the axis of the eye being coaxial with the axis of the tow-line, and a head on the line adjacent the eye adapted to be passed through the eye to form a closed loop in the tow-line, said eye being closed by pull on the line, and said head being retained by the eye when the line is pulled.

2. A tow-line or the like having an integral eye V adjacent each end thereof, the axis of each eye being coaxial with the axis of the tow-line and adapted to be closed by a pull on the line; and a knot on each end of the line; each knot being adapted to be passed through the adjacent eye to form a closed loop in the tow-line, the knot being retained by the eye when the line is pulled.

3. A tow-line or the like, comprising a pair of parallel and overlapping flexible sections, the end of each section being secured to the adjacent portion of the other section to form an eye in the overlapped portion substantially coaxial with the tow-line whereby a pull on the line will close the eye; and a head on one section adapted to be passed through the eye to form a loop in the tow-line. I

4. A tow-line or the like, comprising a pair of parallel and overlapping flexible sections of twisted or woven strands, the end of each section being spliced to the adjacent portion of the other section to form an eye in the overlapped portion substantially coaxial with the tow-line whereby a pull on the line will close the eye; and a knot on one section adapted to be passed through the eye to form a loop in the tow line.

5. A tow-line or the like, comprising a flexible central section; flexible end sections disposed parallel with and respectively overlapping the ends of the central section; the overlapping end of each section being secured to the adjacent portion of the other section to form eyes in the overlapped portion substantially coaxial with the towli-ne, whereby a pull on the line will close the eyes; and heads on the end sections adapted to be passed through their related eyes to form loops at the ends of the tow-line.

6. A tow-line or the like, comprising a central section of flexible twisted or woven strands; end

sections of flexible similar strands disposed parallel with and overlapping the ends of the central section respectively, the overlapping end of each section being spliced to the adjacent portion of the other section to form eyes in the overlapped portion substantially coaxial with the axis of the tow-line, whereby a pull on the line will close the eyes; and knots on the ends of the end sections adapted to be passed through their adjacent eyes to form loops at the ends of the tow-line.

'I. The method of making tow-lines or the like, consisting in securing the overlapping ends of each of two flexible sections to the adjacent portion of the other section to form an eye in the overlapped portion disposed on the axis of the tow-line, and forming a head on one of the sections adapted to be entered into the eye to form a loop.

8. The method of making tow-lines or the like consisting in splicing the overlapping ends of each of two flexible twisted or woven strands to the adjacent portion of the other strand to form an eye in the overlapped portion disposed on the axis of the tow-line, and forming a knot in one twisted strand adapted to be entered into the eye to form a loop in the line.

9. The method of making tow-lines or the like consisting in securing the overlapping ends of each of three flexible sections to the adjacent portions of the other section to form eyes in the overlapped portions disposed on the axis of the line, and forming heads on the end sections adjacent the eyes adapted to be entered thereinto to form loops in the line.

10. The method of making tow-lines or the like consisting in splicing the overlapping ends of each of three flexible twisted or woven strands to the adjacent portion of the other strands to form eyes in the overlapped portions disposed on the axis of the line, and knotting the ends of the end strands to be entered into the eyes to form loops in the line.

EME'IT W. JASPER. 

